Oh.

[ninevirtues]

Cultural fine point: When a southern guy looks at you and repeats the exact same question he just asked you, it's not because he didn't hear you (or, in the case of email, lost the mail). He doesn't like the answer (and it upsets him). This is your golden opportunity to request a do-over. Take it.

Cultural fine point #2: I used to think there could not possibly be anything worse than vacuum-packed fatback. Then I found the salt cured, vacuum-packed fatback. And the frozen pig ears.

Comments

Re: well see, YOU qualify as a Californian.

[browse.livejournal.com]

I'm still a little stumped, but maybe that's because I've been out of the south (sorry, The South) for so long. If I'm hearing you correctly, there was an exchange like so:

"Do you want to come over to my house for a post-Thanksgiving dinner?"
"No thanks, I have plans already. I'm going to my brother's house in Fuquay-Varina." (Where the...? Nevermind, that's another topic.)
(Stated again, more firmly) "Do you want to come over to my house for a post-Thanksgiving dinner?"

Is that how it went down? If so, wow that would creep me out.


As to some of your other comments:
"nun with a bike racing habit" Heh, I get it. I'm picturing Sally Fields as the Flying Nun (before your time, no doubt), but with a bike helmet instead of that silly wimple she wore. (Yes, "wimple". Look it up. ;-)

"leathery" I tend to associate that with a life of manual labor, particularly outdoors. Say what you like about office work, but it's easier on the body by a long shot, at least the outer layers. I also notice that I seem to look and act younger than my relatives and friends who have gone down the parenthood path.

I'd like to hear the full "ex-" story sometime, if you feel like sharing and have the time. I'll show you mine if you'll show me yours. :-)

Re: well see, YOU qualify as a Californian.

[ninevirtues.livejournal.com]

You heard correctly.

I was confused, because the emotion level of comment #2 was a lot higher than the emotion level of comment #1. It wasn't creepy, just confusing to me. And in both cases, the guy *vanished* after that exchange, like I'd really offended him.

Solution: Contact the guy, ask for a do-over, explain there was a cultural misunderstanding, and carry on.